Our Little Talks
by j.redrose360
Summary: My spin on the Hancock's affinity conversations with my SoSu Rose. Trying a new writing style would appreciate reviews but be gentle I'm still pretty new at this.
1. Chapter 1

"Hey sorry about putting you through all that with Bobbi."

Rose looked up and meet Hancock's eyes as he spoke across the worn coffee table in the small one room apartment they had holed up in for the night. _His eyes dark abysses so unnatural. It still makes me uneasy after these few weeks traveling with him but I'll be damned if I'm rude and let it show. He offered to help me around the Commonwealth and I refuse repay him in that way._

"What do you mean Hancock? It was my own fault. I needed the caps so I didn't question too deeply. That's on me." She fidgeted as she spoke; she still felt guilty.

"Hey now she fooled us both don't take all the blame sister. Feel bad you had to take care of her like that for me it's not usually my style. It's too dictatorial; shit like that is the whole reason I became Mayor of Goodneighbor. Although the way Fahrenheit tells it, you tried to talk Bobbi down before Bobbi went after her. Sounds like Bobbi didn't give you much of a choice." Hancock sighed leaning back in the wooden chair he occupied.

 _Heh her protecting Fahrenheit. She didn't need protecting, now Rose on the other hand. I told her it was to sharpen up the old killer instinct but there was more to it than that. She trusts too easily, hesitates when pulling the trigger first, she was still soft not hardened by the Commonwealth yet. There people who would take advantage of that. And I won't let shit like that happen to a mother out of time looking for her son._

"I wish she had listened." Rose said with a sigh closing her eyes rubbing her temples in thought. _Bobbi lunges at Fahrenheit drawing her gun hoping to get close enough that Fahrenheit couldn't use her flamer effectively. Fahrenheit hadn't even pulled the trigger, she had given them a chance to leave. I wouldn't let Bobbi kill someone who has just shown us mercy._

"Me too sister." Hancock replied popping two mentats into his mouth. He then offered her the tin. Rose declined just shaking her head, she wanted a clear head when she took first watch.

The room was quiet for a maybe ten minutes until Rose's curiosity got the better of her. "Hey Hancock I have a question"

"You seem to ask a lot of them but sure go ahead" he answered with a chuckle. _Just full of them ain't she._

"What was Goodneighbor like before you took over?' _He mentioned 'dictatorial shit' how bad had it been for him to have felt the need to intervene._

"A mob boss named Vic ran the town with an iron fist." Hancock replied his voice filled with venom as his eyes glazed over not in the present anymore "Had a goon squad he used to keep the people nice and scared. He'd let them off the leash every so often to blow off steam. People with homes locked their doors but us drifters we had it bad" His voice faded out lost in a memory.

Rose felt her fists clench in anger as she listened to Hancock's story. _People like that piss me off. Goodneighbor might be rough around the edges but it was filled with good people who deserved better than that._ "What happened to the bastard?"

Hancock's eyes focused on Rose drawn out of the past by the harshness of her tone. "Oh I killed him. Got fed up after I watched his goons crack open a drifter's skull on the pavement for speaking up against them. At the time i just cowered with the other drifters and watched. Shoulda done something but I was a coward."

"It sounds like you couldn't have done much they would have just done the same to you Hancock" she interrupted her tone soft upon hearing the bitterness in his tone. _I know that tone, heard it from Nate when he talked about the war. He had hated himself, the things he has done. Nobody should have to feel that pain for just trying to survive._

"True but it does not change the fact it was spineless. After that i felt worse than nothing, so I got high so fucked up I blacked out. I woke up in front of the clothes of John Hancock, first American hoodlum and defender of the people. I was probably still high but those clothes spoke to me and I knew what I had to do. Smashed the case and put them on and started a new life as Hancock. I swore I wouldn't stand by and watch ever again. I went clean for a while rounded up some drifters and went out into the ruins to train. We'd be ready for his goons next time I made sure of that."

"Well I'm glad you took him out the people of Goodneighbor deserve better than that" Rose looked at Hancock with a smile and then added her tone teasing "Even if old clothes told you to"

Hancock grinned "Hey crazy shit happens sometimes when you're high. Glad you agree with me but you've probably had enough of me running my mouth for tonight."


	2. Chapter 2

Rose hummed to Diamond City Radio as she was looking through crates for anything that Sanctuary might need, she had been talking with Sturges about building a turret to make night watch a little easier. They were in the back of the abandoned hardware store having killed the previous raider occupants, so there was plenty of tools and other building materials to gather up.

Hancock jumped up on top of large shipping crate for a chem break and so he could keep watch. _Basement check door check. Never could be too careful._ Rose bent down to look under a shelf _Oh now that is a nice view._ Hancock smirked watching her as she slowly made her way closer to his perch in her search.

"So seems like you can hold your own Rose. I had my doubts when we first hit the road." Hancock said as she passed by. _She doesn't need as much protection as I thought. Quite the fierce little thing when she's pissed._

Rose paused in her search looking up at Hancock "Uh thanks." _Was that a compliment? Well I did look like crap when I met him. Surprised though he's had to save my ass more than I'd be comfortable admitting_ "You're not too bad yourself Hancock. You've saved my ass more than a few times."

"Hey couldn't let anything happen to an ass that fine" Hancock smirked at her as her face turned tato red. _Such a nice shade heh cute when she's all flustered like this._

"Hancock" Rose said with annoyance trying to hide her embarrassment by turning away to look around the room. _God I hate how flustered he makes me. He can't be serious though probably just does it for the reaction. Still even if he's teasing I don't like the thoughts it puts into my head._ She turned towards a large shelf and pulled a wooden crate down to sort through as she tried to collect herself. " Why don't we stay here the night it's already late. If you wanted we could reach Diamond City for a nice bed and drinks. But I'd like to stay awhile longer and look through this place a little more."

Hancock's cocky smirk became a feral looking smile _She couldn't be serious could she? Did she not know?_ "Can't stay there and wouldn't spend the night there even if I could. It used to be a half decent place but that all changed when Mcdonough took over."

Rose looked up surprised _What's with the change in attitude? Whats wrong with Diamond City._ "It didn't seem too bad when I was there with Nick. The people are a little paranoid but kind underneath it all."

"You ever see a ghoul there Rose?"

Rose paused _Faces flash through my head worn and weary but that was commonplace now. No ghouls though that didn't make much sense it's the biggest settlement in the Commonwealth._ "No" she replies face scrunched in confusion.

 _Bet they pretend the ghouls were never even there. Try to forget that they killed them._ "There used to be before McDonough. Got elected with his anti-ghoul campaign Mankind for McDonough." _I was so pissed when I found out what he planned to do._ "Before you know it you had families with kids lining up to drag folks they called neighbor out of their homes and throw'em to the ruins." Hancock let out a long tired sigh _What happened to the punchy entitled big brother I knew on the waterfront?_ "Don't know what happened thought me and Mcdonough had a good childhood."

Rose let out a gasp. _That's just horrible. Ghouls were people too even if they looked different._ "How could they do that?" angry tears shone in her eyes.

"There was always a pretty big rift between the folks in the stands and folks living on the field. McDonough thought if he ran on it enough of the upper stands assholes would vote for him. Guess he was right. Not convinced it wasn't just to improve their view" Hancock's dark eyes shone with anger "I remember storming his office after his inauguration speech. He was just watching as the city turned on the ghouls. All he had to say was 'I did it John it's finally mine' I shoulda killed him right then and there but it wouldn't have changed anything. Instead I pleaded with him, begged him to call it off." _I was a coward then too pathetic._

Hancock's fist clenched and Rose reached up to touch his knee gently. _That must have been terrible having to watch and being able to do nothing._

He looked at her hand surprised. _Not many people willing touch a ghoul._ Before he continued "He said he couldn't, he was just following the will of the people. He couldn't betray the voters. Then he smiled that hideous mile long smile. He never smiled like that when we were kids. I didn't even recognize him." Hancock closed his eyes. "When I first heard the rumors he has been replaced with a synth I thought it made sense" _I wanted it to be true wanted to believe my brother couldn't have done this._ " but I've seen him since then and there's no way they copied him that perfectly they even got his tightass walk."

"That's disgusting. He sent those ghouls to die." her voice was filled with fury _Wait did he send his own brother to ruins. How could he do that?_ "Did he make you leave?" _McDonough better hope I never have an excuse to kill him. He killed those ghouls and I'll never forget that look in Hancocks eyes, that hurt that sorrow that anger._

"I wasn't a ghoul yet at that point so no but I couldn't stay in that cesspool after that. I tracked down as many families they has kicked out as I could lead them to Goodneighbor. I had been sneakin' off to Goodneighbor for years for decent chems so I knew the safe routes. Most couldn't adjust to the Goodneighbor lifestyle. I brought them food for a few weeks but after a while they just disappeared. _Should have done more._ Folks in Diamond City signed their death warrants and everybody just sat by and watched. I felt like I was the only one who seemed to see how fucked up it truly was; who couldn't just pretend things were fine. Still feel that way." Hancock paused for a moment before he reached out touched Rose's hand resting on his knee _Rose is different though. She wouldn't have let the ghouls die like I did. She would have stood up for the drifter that night. She was something special. I'm lucky to have her at my back._ "That was until I met you. Thanks for that" he squeezed her hand meeting her eyes with a smile before moving his hand away to grab some chem from his coat pockets.

Rose started to smile but furrowed her brow and swung around wring her hands playing with her wedding band as she walked back to some crates across the room, trying to put some distance between her and Hancock. _You stupid girl you're husbands dead barely 5 months and you're searching for you're son. What would Nate have thought of that._ The guilt made her stomach sour. _And besides Hancock has people in Goodneighbor throwing themselves at him. He wouldn't look at you._

Hancock reached into his and pulled out a canister of jet and took a hit trying to calm himself. _That was stupid Hancock letting a pretty face get to you like that. She a great friend and her husband just died. You should respect that if you don't wanna lose her. And besides you are a ghoul someone as beautiful her wouldn't look your way._


End file.
